


Et Tu Vulpes?

by Cmrg



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Anal Sex, Body Worship, M/M, Oral Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:01:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22488349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cmrg/pseuds/Cmrg
Summary: Vulpes Inculta plans to betray Caesar and become his successor, and then he ends up bringing Arcade to be part of it.
Relationships: Arcade Gannon/Vulpes Inculta
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Et Tu Vulpes?

**Author's Note:**

> So I and a friend were talking about this idea of Arcade and Vulpes taking over Caesar's crown, and I ended up with this long mess of politics and betrayal, but don't worry there's sex in it.

‘’I will not lend you forbidden medical supplies, for the last time’’ said arcade turning his back to the legate, who in response grabbed the doctor’s arm tightly.

Arcade looked at the ugly and desperate expression in the other man’s face. He is an addict, he concluded.

‘’Caesar’s favorite or not, I will flog you to the inch of your life, slave’’ threatened the man.

Arcade tried futilely to free himself of the other man’s grip.

‘’Maybe, but if I do as you ask Caesar himself will order my death for breaking the rules about giving chems to a legionary, even more one that, in my medical expertise, is in total health’’ giving up on trying to free himself he looked deep into the man’s eyes, looking at his rage.

Taking all the courage he had, Arcade added.

‘’Now, be a true Caesar legionary and go savor your pain, masochistically, far from me, you chem addict’’ and that’s was all the legate needed to explode in anger.

‘’You fucking profligate’’

He took off his machete, raising in towards Arcade, who by instinct moved a hand to his, now empty, holster, frozen at the realization that he could do nothing but watch the blade went down on him, killing him.

But before the blade would hit him, without any intercession from Arcade the man felt down on the floor bleeding. The doctor looked down in pure shock, observing the knife sunk down in his back.

Arcade looked up, seeing the man who throw the knife.

‘’It would be a betrayal to the legion to kill Caesar physician, but you did know that, don’t you, legate? It do seem that your brain was really rotten by the drugs you took for you to ignore it’’ Said Vulpes Inculta approaching.

Arcade looked, still scared, at the leader of the frumentarii, who looked back at him, dangerously calm as ever.

‘’You are very courageous to talk that way to a legate, profligate, but do not forget that you are, after all, a slave’’

‘’You ere listening to the conversation? How? I didn’t saw you! Well… it does make sense to the timing of the knife’’ wondered Arcade, over thinking as usually.

‘’I am silent, I was watching you when he approached you’’

Arcade arched a brow.

‘’Well did the mighty Caesar order his frumentarii to stalk me?’’ said in a angered mocking tone ‘’Cause I really don’t want that kind of attention’’

Vulpes retrieved his personal knife from the dead man’s back, cleaning the blood from the blade.

‘’No, I did it by personal curiosity’’

Those words made Arcade anger dissolute in surprise.

‘’Well…that’s…odd, and slightly intimidating, care to explain?’’

‘’Of all the men’s in Caesar’s camp, free or slaved, you are his favorite. As part of his internal circle I had heard several stories from him about you, and tales always told in an admirable tone’’ he looked deep into Arcade eyes ‘’I must say I got…intrigued by your figure’’

He spoke so naturally this nonsense that made Arcade even more scared of the whole thing.

‘’A profligate who speaks Caesar’s language, who is knowledgeable in philosophy and politics, but yet not smart enough to render under Caesar and be able to be something more than a slave, the reason behind it it’s what makes me wonder about you’’

Arcade felt like laughing, but only smirked.

‘’Being ‘knowledgeable’ is what makes me know that Caesar’s reign won’t last and I don’t want to be part of an atrocious, doomed to failure entity, such as the legion, at least not again. And if yourself had a little of singularity and politic knowledge you would not follow Caesar so blindly’’

Arcade noticed something change across at the frumentarii face, they were taught to not let out any facial expression, anything that betrayal then, but in that moment, Arcade could see the mix of thoughts on his head.

‘’Then you must teach me’’ he looked up, looking in arcades eyes ‘’Teach me what will doom the legion, so I can prevent that’’

Arcade as purely confused, then laughed nervously.

‘’You joking right? I will not do anything such as this. The doom of the legion will be my triumph! Even if I am long dead’’ said the last part a little scared of the idea.

‘’Bravado will accomplish you nothing, profligate, must I reminder you that after all, even being Caesar’s favorite, you’re still a slave and must obey your superiors’’

His voice was cold and sharp, just like a knife that cut swiftly through his skin.

‘’I have no time for that’’ Arcade tried his last move.

‘’Then I will come at tonight, expect me at your tent’’ Vulpes gave the final say.

The frumentarii looked down at the body on the floor of the medical tent.

‘’Ask Siri to fetch a slave to ditch this degenerate in a pitch, he shall not be burned, his soul shall never rest in the afterlife’’ and like that he tuner his back and walked out of the tent.

Arcade looked down at the body, thinking how his life choices got him there. He should had never trusted the courier, never told him about his Enclave past, he was a fool and could not even lie to Vulpes, ‘cause he would know, he could read anyone just like a book.

Later that night Arcade had no choice, but to went to his tent, he was privileged than the other slaves to have his own. Maybe the reason why he put out with so much of Caesar’s shit was that he liked some of his luxuries in the camp, at the same time hating to have to humiliate himself to get it. Arcade was not born to be a slave to a mad man’s will, soon it all would be too much for him. 

His line of thoughts were broken when Vulpes entered his tent, his silent movements always caught Arcade by surprise.

‘’You came, and I was half hoping you had given up on me’’ said arcade, expressing his thoughts ‘’Why don’t we sit and get it over with?’’

Vulpes directed himself to sit in front of Arcade.

‘’You said I needed to know politics so the legion did not make the same mistakes other leaders did’’

‘’Yes, I did and well…uhm, how can I put this? Caesar uses a strategy old as time, same used by the romans and many other great conquerors’’ said him, really putting thought on it ‘’But it’s failed, weak, easily broken’’

‘’How so? Rome prospered, it was the biggest empire the world ever saw’’ countered Vulpes.

‘’Caesar, and Rome, obviously, uses slaves as it economy, he goes to a land, conquers it, get his slaves, rape and pillaged, burn their crops and leave, and then another and another…you see where I am going right? One day won’t be new lands to conquer, nor new tribes to add to Caesar army’’

Vulpes listened to the other man talk very still, really giving himself to the duty of understanding Arcade’s point of view.

‘’When there won’t be more tribes or lands to conqueror, we will have achieved peace, Arcade, there won’t be reason to fight, we will have glorious cities, such as Rome, and crops so large they will go being the horizon’’ said Vulpes what he has listened since he was a recruit.

‘’Who says that this is going to happen? That one day it shall conqueror all? The legion could succumb at any moment, Vulpes, the chain of command is weak, the legion works only to worship a mad man as god. And when Caesar die? What’s going to happen?’’

Vulpes looked down thinking.

‘’Legate Lanius will take over…and I must agree with you that this is a bad decision, he does not inflict admiration on his man’’

‘’Yes, exactly, you see it, Caesar base his power on cult to the leader and other violent ideologies…violence will never generate peace’’ Arcade looked way, feeling tired ‘’I could go one saying that the idea of slavery is also bad…but you would not get it, after all you are also a slave, just a different type’’

A silence crossed the room as Arcade finished his speech, and Vulpes thought what was said, and finally saying.

‘’I am not ignorant, Arcade’’ he touched Arcade’s hand bringing his attention ‘’But now that you made your point clear, could I make mine?’’

Arcade looked his dark eyes and nodded.

‘’You grew in the waste just like I did, but not in the same circumstances, you grew protected by the wall of the institution they call ‘’Enclave’’, and I…I grew in the filth’’ those words were full of feelings.

‘’In a savage raider tribe, in the middle of Arizona, where I had to fight, lie and steal since I came out of a woman. I knew nothing of law, nothing of progress, there was no hope, no reason to keep going, but my instinct of survival’’ a pause ‘’Until Caesar arrived…bringing something new. Law, hoping, ideologies, something that was worth fighting for’’

‘’You like to say that I am a slave, but what makes a man really free? What freedom can archive, but chaos?’’ a pause ‘’America once was the land of freedom and look were it got us, they killed the world. They loved their democracy, but what did democracy archived but war? We can’t have the old ways again and Caesar will prevent it’’

He looked at Arcade, and surprisingly, smiled softly.

‘’The legion is not perfect, I do know that, but it can be’’ said optimistic ‘’And I hope one day you can see it, Arcade’’

‘’But at what cost?’’ tried Arcade tired ‘’Until the legion archive this…apex of enlightenment how much will had been destroyed?’’

Vulpes rose from his chair.

‘’No civilization was born great, all of them had challenges to conqueror’’ he stood looking down at Arcade ‘’But it’s late already, you must be tired, I will came again tomorrow night’’

Arcade felt like giving a cheeky comment, but Vulpes was right after all, he was tired.

In the morning Vulpes as summoned in Caesar tent, and he knew the reason why, inside the tent Caesar was assigning some of Lucius papers and glanced over Vulpes.

‘’Ah, there you’re, I have heard from one of your Frumentarii that you entered Arcade’s tent last night and left later that night, is that true?’’ he looked at Vulpes.

Betrayed by one of his own men, mussed Vulpes.

‘’Yes, mighty Caesar, I did so. Does that displeases you?’’

‘’No, not at all, I just wanna know if you are buggering him. Are you Vulpes?’’ his voice was calm, really interested in the matter.

Vulpes did not express anything.

‘’I didn’t, mighty Caesar, we merely talked’’

‘’That’s a shame, I was half hoping that the two of you were engaging in some type of affair. May I ask what did the two of you talked about?’’

‘’Politics. He’s teaching me how to strengthen the legion. He is smart, he would be a good legionary, perhaps the best of us’’ ‘perfect for the plan I long have schemed’ thought Vulpes.

‘’Yes, I like Arcade, very much, but he is very…unbending to our ideals, and I would like to change that’’ said Caesar reflexive ‘’I need you, Vulpes, to keep meeting him, and try converting him to our ideals. I am not saying it’s gonna be easy, Arcade is very smart, very witty, but I know you can do that’’

Vulpes let out no emotion, but he was glad to have a cover to meet with the doctor and have time to talk with him.

‘’I will do as you pleases, Caesar’’

Caesar smiled lightly.

‘’I want Arcade and I will have him, and Vulpes…do anything you need, I mean anything’’ he smirked at Vulpes.

‘’Yes, Caesar’’

And like that Vulpes went back to Arcade’s tent that night, but not finding him there. It did not take long for him to track down the doctor, who as sitting on a cliff, getting a good look over the camp. Far from the torches lights, under the blue moon light, he was nothing more than a shadow.

Vulpes sited next to him, looking at his face, noticing that there was a big split in his lower lip and a bruise in his cheek.

‘’Man, you really scares me every time, can’t you step more heavily next time?’’ said Arcade bothered.

Vulpes moved a hand to touch his lower lips, barely sliding a finger against the skin before Arcade flinched way in pain.

‘’Who did this?’’ he asked and Arcade turned his head, hiding the bruises.

‘’A minor legionary, it does not matter’’

‘’It does to me, say who he was and I will have him pay for it’’ this made Arcade laugh bitterly.

‘’Are you gonna kill all your precious men because of a slave?’’

‘’They don’t have the same value as you’’ Vulpes answered simply as that.

Arcade looked at his face offended.

‘’People are not things to have value, for fuck sake. We are not things! Vulpes, can’t you see it?’’ he felt tears accumulating in the corner of his eyes, but he forced then go way, replacing then with anger ‘’You speak as if we’re all Brahmin ready to buy and sell’’

Vulpes didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t.

‘’I don’t want to talk politics with you right now, please let me be’’ he looked down, defeated.

Vulpes looked up to the moon.

‘’I thought a lot of what you said last night, and you are right’’ he continued talking, ignoring Arcade request ‘’ The legion if not changed is doomed to fail, but I know a way of saving the legion and changing it to what you consider better. I have long thought of that’’

He looked at Arcade’s face, looking his bright green eyes.

‘’If someone else take over Caesar power, if someone else was in command of the legion, those changes that you wish could happen’’ this made Arcade attention grew ‘’Not Lanius, because he does not have none of the skills of being anything more than a soldier, not Lucius who’s blindly loyal to Caesar. That’s why I was observing you that day, that’s why I have been watching you, Arcade, for a long time since you came into the fort’’

Arcade smiled happily, looking up at Vulpes.

‘’You traitorous snake, I can’t believe you’re proposing betrayal. Who would say, hum? Et tu Vulpes?’’ he laughed in a low tune.

‘’I see your point, I am in fact a traitor, the legion is something too big to put in the hands of a man who rules based on his wishes and desires. I love Caesar, as Brutus did, but I cannot let us go into domination. We must leave the dam, go east where we can really flourish’’

Arcade pondered over what the other had said.

‘’Yes, the dam, Caesar blind desire to put his flag over it cost to many legionaries lives and even if he conquers it he leaves the east, where the true riches are, unguarded’’

He looked at Vulpes admired, something inside of him warmed toward the other man, a feeling that was less like hate and more like a possible alliance ‘’Maybe I was wrong after all, maybe you do have a little of individuality left in you’’

Vulpes smirked slightly.

‘’No, you were right, I don’t have any, I live and breathe the legion, all I am it’s an armor and a spear, that’s why I am doing this, and I need your help, Arcade’’

‘’Not that I am not being grateful that you’re putting me in this crazy plan of yours, but what’s there for me? Beyond seeing Caesar dead I mean’’

‘’Your freedom, but not only yours, of all the slaves…you’re right, again, when you said that the legion does not have crops, no agriculture, I will repurposed the slaves into settlers, where they will work the land’’

Arcade smile grew.

‘’You really heard me out, didn’t you?’’

Vulpes felt himself strangely uncomfortable in that moment.

‘’You’re wise, I had to, after all that’s why I went after you’’ a pause ‘’ I think that beyond Caesar, I had never met someone so smart before. You’re really unique Arcade, I can really see why he treasures you’’

Arcade felt his face warm a little, nothing noticeable under the darkness of the night.

‘’If you’re hitting on me, Vulpes, know that I am not into sadistic man’’ he joked.

Vulpes rose up to his feet, looking down at the camp.

‘’I am not a sadistic in bed’’ his cold dead tone made Arcade ask himself if it was joke or a flirt.

He offered Arcade a hand, and he accepted, rising on his feet. They looked at each other and doubt took over Arcade’s mind.

‘’What do I have to do? What’s my part of this plan off yours?’’

‘’The most important part’’ he said, looking him deep in the eyes ‘’ When the time comes, Arcade, you will kill Caesar’’

Arcade breath faltered a bit at that, he had thought about doing that before, but was to cowered to exchange his life for Caesar’s, even if that was for the greater good. With Vulpes, he could kill the man and live afterward.

He looked deep into Vulpes dark eyes and nodded.

‘’Okay, but you must promise me that you really mean everything you said, that you really are going forward with it, that you will not betrayal me. I want your word’’

‘’Words in this world mean shit’’ he looked down and Arcade’s gaze followed as he took off his blade off the shaft, the same one he killed the legate to protect Arcade.

Vulpes slid the blade over his own arm, groaning masochistically pleased. They both looked the red blood slide down. Vulpes contracted his muscle himself bleed more.

He looked up at Arcade’s eyes, looking scarily sure of what he was doing.

‘’Give me your arm’’ and Arcade for some reason did without hesitation, pulling up the sleeve of his medical coat.

Then was Arcades turn, he closed his eyes, crying out in pain when the blade cut down his flesh. Vulpes pulled their arms together, cuts brushing against one another, letting their blood mix.

‘’Now we are bounded to an oath, confidants, hum?’’ they looked at each other ‘’ Now, Caesar wants you to render under him, so you will pretend to do so, you will get him to trust you, so when we strike you won’t get caught. You understand?’’

As Vulpes let go of his arm, he pressed a hand over the shallow cut, Vulpes was skilled enough to cut just right to draw out little blood.

‘’What will you do with Lanius?’’

‘’Caesar can overlook a lot of things, but never defeat, is a blow to big for his ego, tomorrow when we go to the battle over the dam I shall make the arrangements so the NCR win it’’

Arcade looked at his bleeding arm.

‘’Okay…just be careful tomorrow, ‘cause you know…you’re my ticket out of here’’ he looked way.

Vulpes smirked.

‘’I have no need to be ‘careful’, Mars will watch over me…good night, Arcade, pray to Mars today on my name, will you?’’

In the morning of the next day, Arcade was summoned to wait for the end of the battle in Caesar’s tent, along his inner circle, all of then were there, but Vulpes, and this made Arcade even more worried.

‘’You seam concerned, Arcade’’ of course Caesar had noticed it ‘’Praying for a legion winning?’’ teased out.

This was his time of playing the game.

‘’I have no horse in this race, Caesar’’ he said looking the elder man ‘’If the NCR win’s they probably are gonna kill me for my past with the Enclave, if the legion win…well I will still be a slave’’

‘’Better a slave then dead’’ countered Caesar.

Arcade used all the forces inside him to not give a cheeky comment over it and only forced out a thoughtful face.

‘’You know…you might just be right, Caesar, after all… _Vita Est Plena Occasiones_. Maybe I am today cheering for the legion…who knows’’

This brought a smile to Caesar, was the first time they were seeing eye to eye in something else then philosophical ideas.

‘’Yes, Arcade, ‘life is full of opportunities’. Who would had thought? Ha! You warming up to my ideas. I will make a legionary out of you yet’’

Arcade was going to continue his act, when Inculta entered the tent, making his heart beat faster. They looked at each other for a minute and Arcade just wanted to run to him and ask what had happened, but he stood next to Caesar and only observed.

Vulpes walked towards the Caesar, kneeling down.

‘’Caesar, the NCR held down the dam against our siege, the word spread by my Frumentarii is that Legatus Lanius disgraced himself getting shot in the leg by one of their sniper and could not lead his soldier further into battle. We have lost’’ out off all his coldness, Vulpes forced out an angered emotion, rising to look at Caesar boiling rage.

‘’That bastard, Brahmin fucker’’ he rose on it feet ‘’After all this year of planning that incompetent dog throw it all away. How dare he disgraces my name being defeated by weak man hiding behind gun’s! Where is that piece of shit?’’

‘’He is at the medical tent, mighty Caesar’’

Caesar looked at Arcade, and he could see how red the older man was, with leaping veins and sweat. He did his best not to smile.

‘’You will go to that nuisance and keep him alive cost whatever it cost’’ he walked back to his throne’’ I will have my Praetorian to hack him to death with their machetes on the arena’’

Arcade looked at Vulpes cold face behind Caesar, and swore had seen him smile briskly.

‘’I will go this minute, Caesar’’ said heading out of the tent.

Outside he smiled from ear to ear, feeling his heart race a little. In the camp more and more wounded soldier came by, so he needed to get to Siri and help her out, but all he could think was his plan, and in Vulpes. How sly that man was, thinking of him made Arcade chuckle.

When entered the tent were Lanius was being kept he could not keep himself from laughing at the monster of the east lying between life and death. He walked towards the man, looking the wound soaked in blood in his thigh. He clutched the wound sadistically, but Lanius was unconscious to react.

He took off the legate helmet, looking his face for the first time. Looking at nothing especial, big, rustic face. Arcade took off the bullet and stitched Lanius back up, even doing a blood transfusion and giving him pain killers, a waste of resources in a man marked to die in the arena, but Caesar ego was something bigger then the man wisdom.

Later that night while he rested sat near the legate unconscious body, Vulpes entered the tent, first looking at the body, then to Arcade.

‘’Is it safe for us to talk?’’ he asked looking back at Lanius.

‘’He is to high on hydra to know the difference between legion and NCR…so yeah, we are pretty safe’’ he looked at Vulpes and smiled ‘’You cleaver bastard, how did you did that?’’

Vulpes gave one of his rare smiles and directed himself to sit next to Arcade.

‘’Just send one of my spies that were not from the Frumentarii deliver the plans of Lanius to Lee Oliver, that stupid dog, my fear was that even with the plans on hand he was gonna lose the dam’’ this made Arcade laugh.

‘’You think to high of the legion man power, but I am glad you do’’ he looked down ‘’I…I was so soaked in worries when I didn’t had any news of you, It’s crazy…I think I am getting fond of you, Vulpes’’ he smiled slightly ‘’And I am not saying this out of provocation, I mean it’’

Vulpes let out a slightly confused expression.

‘’I am…glad we are together on this, happy for us to be partners’’

This made Arcade smile fondly.

‘’Partner? That’s a funny word’’

He didn’t know if it was his imagination but seemed like Vulpes was getting closer to him.

‘’It’s a nice word’’ he slid his hand across the side of Arcades face, caressing him.

Arcade’s heart started to beat faster, but he did nothing to dismiss the other man, only keep looking at him with an anxious expression.

‘’Arcade…would you like for me to kiss you?’’ he asked in smooth voice.

Arcade looked unsure for a moment, but then said.

‘’I wound’’ and he leaned into it.

Vulpes kissed him softly at first, but soon deepened the kiss, touching the doctor torso, sliding his hands inside his coat, Arcade felt his skin burning beneath his clothes where Vulpes fingers had touched. His heart raced at the idea of being kissed by a legionary, one of Caesar inner circle man, a slaver, rapist, but as his hand grabbed Arcade waist he could not do anything else. Moaning against the other man’s lips. 

Arcade touched Vulpes face shifting it to deep the kiss, tongues sliding against each other, his free hand went up Vulpes thigh, getting under his legionary skirt, touching his skin.

When things were getting heated, they were surprised by the tent being opened. Arcade jumped back, getting as far from Vulpes as he could, looking static at Siri by the door, holding medical supplies.

She just lowered her eyes.

‘’I brought you more med-x and hydra, doctor Arcade’’ she said in a low tune.

‘’Get back to your duties, woman, and keep your eyes focused on the ground, you saw nothing’’ dictated Vulpes.

‘’I didn’t, legate, forgive me’’ and she exited the tent.

Arcade wiped a hand over his lips, cleaning Vulpes saliva off.

‘’Well that was something’’ he smiled to himself.

‘’The slave woman, shall I kill her?’’

Arcade eyes widened, and he answered fast.

‘’No! Please don’t kill Siri, she would never tell what she saw, she is my friend…and the only one with medical expertise… if she dies I am all alone dealing with the wounded’’

Vulpes didn’t seem convinced, but would not question Arcade’s request.

‘’Very well, I think that now I must tell you what we are gonna do next’’ Vulpes rose from his sit, looking down at Arcade.

‘’I am all ears, and if I were to guess I would say something in the line of making Caesar point out soon his successor’’

‘’Even you being a slave, Caesar values your opinion highly, Arcade. You must encourage him to do that decision, surely he will point me out, but it would be good if you intercede on my behalf’’

Arcade frowned thinking on what Vulpes just said.

‘’What makes you think he won’t point out Lucius? He seem like a very intelligent man, and Caesar’s old friend’’

‘’Lucius is methodical, bureaucratic, just like the NCR and Caesar hates it, good qualities for a secretary, but not for a leader, and worst of all, Lucius like to play fair, he would never result in lies or cheating, into Caesar tastes’’

‘’Keep talking like that and I might jump to Lucius team’’ Arcade teased ‘’But I do see your point, I will do all I can’’

Vulpes smiled.

‘’Good, I will now beat you, _vale_ , Arcade. Is for the best if we don’t speak until it’s all over, it’s dangerous to people see us together’’

Arcade rose walking into Vulpes personal space.

‘’So better if I do this now’’ and he kissed the Frumentarii again.

Vulpes hands slid down Arcade’s back, pulling him against his body, tongue invading Arcade mouth, making him groan. The way Vulpes kissed Arcade was full of desire, full of wanton. Arcade slid his hands down in the front of the other man’s armor, wanting to feel their naked skin slide against each other, but they couldn’t, at least not now.

When Arcade was starting to rub himself involuntarily against the legate, Vulpes pulled back, leaving just a line of saliva connecting then. He looked deep into Arcade’s green eyes and then his beautiful blonde hair, mesmerized. ‘Apollo, god of medicine’, he thought.

He smiled at Arcade’s confused gaze, and broke their embrace with one last soft kiss on his lips.

‘’I will come to you when it’s all over’’

‘’I hope when this is all over you will reward me for surviving this tease of yours’’ he said making Vulpes laugh in a low tone.

‘’On Caesar own bed, I swear’’

And like that Arcade was left alone with Lanius, not the best company.

When Lanius was safe from death, Arcade was summoned to the front of Caesar’s tent, where his inner circle watched Lanius being brought to fight in the arena unarmed against ten legates armed with machetes.

It was a blood bath as Arcade was expecting to be, even wounded the giant of the east was able to kill two of the legionaries with his bare hands and cripple another. All to die being teared down by the machetes, while bleeding to death, he was able to scream ‘ _’Caesar proditorum_ ’’ into Caesar direction, who’s expression turned darker than it already was.

‘’ _Proditorum_ , uhm? Traitor is those who fail to their people! Traitor are those who don’t die on the battlefield, those who shame Mars name! Traitor was this dead dog, who could do no more than bark. I curse your name Lanius, and no one shall ever say it again, no one will remember you, your body won’t be burned, you will be trapped forever in this land, the land were you were defeated, were you brought dishonor to my name’’

Caesar was full of anger and felt his heart respond to, a twinge in his chest. He grabbed where his heart was and let out a painful groan. Arcade was the first to react, holding Caesar against him.

‘’You must rest, Caesar, now’’

‘’Yeah, I am tired of losses and of this losers who dare to call themselves Legates’’

Arcade helped Caesar into the tent, and when Lucius and the others tried to follow, Arcade stopped then, by standing in the doorway.

‘’Let Caesar rest by the day, I mean it as his doctor’’

Lucius expression hardened, he was stronger than Arcade, older, surely this inflicted fear in the doctor, but when he looked at Vulpes over Lucius shoulder, he found strength to stay put.

‘’Get out of my way, profligate, I won’t tell you again’’ said Lucius offended.

‘’I mean it, Caesar might have a heart attack and die if he is more exposed to troubles today. I will monitor his heart at night, he should rest until tomorrow’’

Lucius laughed humorlessly.

‘’With only you? Without his praetorian guard all night? You think I am stupid, slave? You forgot your place’’

‘’You are not stupid, neither am I. Why would I kill Caesar in the middle of his camp? I am not suicidal. Lucius I had many opportunities to kill Caesar and I never did, trust me, won’t be now’’

Vulpes touched Lucius shoulder, attracting his attention.

‘’The slave is right, Lucius, Caesar must rest’’ Vulpes looked at Arcade ‘’But don’t let yourself be fooled, no matter how much Caesar favors your skills, you’re just a slave, you don’t have a single fucking saying in nothing, you’re lesser then Brahmin shit. Respect your superiors, or I will have you flogged to death, you profligate!’’ his voice was sharp, and even knowing it was an act Arcade felt a shiver went down on his spine.

Vulpes looked deep it Arcade eyes with his cold sadistic looked.

‘’Do you understand, slave?’’

‘’Yes, legate, I do’’ Arcade played his part.

Vulpes smiled lightly only for Arcade.

‘’Good, a praetorian will be with you and Caesar over the night, so don’t get ideas’’

‘’Yes, sir’’ Arcade smiled when he turned his back entering the tent. He could only hope Vulpes was hot like that in bed was well.

Arcade gave Caesar painkillers and tucked him to sleep, but Caesar didn’t want to sleep.

‘’Ah, Arcade, I don’t know what I am gonna do next, I am full of failures, I can’t take anymore of this. My legion is being seen as weak, I am being seen as weak’’

Arcade only listened, putting a hand over Caesar’s forehead, noticing that he was warm.

‘’You are ill, Caesar, you can’t worry yourself with this now or it will kill you’’ Arcade put a wet cloth over his forehead, pressing down.

‘’ I am already dying, Arcade, dying with no valid successor, my empire will die when I do’’

Arcade looked down at the man, forcing himself to looked apathetic, when his heart was racing with anxiety.

‘’Well valid or not I would point someone out soon, I am your doctor and I won’t lie to you, Caesar, you’re in poor health, if you keep getting stress like you do you can have a heart attack and the consequences that this will leave in your cognitive functions are unknown. You might never talk again, walk, or move’’ Arcade exaggerated the truth, scaring Caesar.

Caesar took his time thinking and Arcade pretended indifference while looking into Caesar’s medication.

‘’If I were to choose…Lucius seem like the perfect fit’’ provoked Arcade, looking down at his doctor bag.

Caesar arched a brow.

‘’You think?’’

‘’I like Lucius, he is a reasonable man, merciful’’ said Arcade choosing his words.

Caesar laughed in a mocking tone.

‘’Weak. I do love Lucius as a brother, but he is no leader’’ those were Vulpes words said by Caesar, Arcade noticed that his plan was working.

Arcade shrugged.

‘’Then all you are left with is the sadistic one, not my first choice, just for the record’’

‘’Vulpes?’’ Caesar wondered ‘’You two were talking those past days, wasn’t it? What do you think of him?’’

Arcade though for a moment in his next words.

‘’I cannot say that I like him, his is cruel and vicious’’ _‘just like you’_ ‘’But he is a smart man, very smart, and with great…argumentation…if you wanna know he did opened my ideas towards the legion in those talks, and that’s all I can say about him’’

Caesar arched a brow curious.

‘’ ‘Opened your ideas toward the legion?’ what do you wanna say with that, Arcade? Soon I will have you as a legionary?’’

Arcade rose from the bed smirking at Caesar.

‘’Right…nah, I think not, skirts were never my thing, I am afraid. Now I think you’re stable, I will leave you for the night, but do not try to exert yourself, you old bull’’

‘’Arcade, wait! Before you go, bring me paper and pen, I shall right down my will right now, by Mars, I do not know if I will survive to do this later’’

Arcade made his best effort not to smile and only said.

‘’Yes, Caesar’’

Caesar wrote down Vulpes name, giving him the rights as his heir, and sealed it down with his stamp. Arcade watched with the corner of his eye the place where Caesar kept the paper.

‘’I will give you something to pass the night silently, Caesar’’

‘’Please do, Arcade, all I want now is sleep’’

Arcade mixed a high dose of med-x and hydra into a syringe, for a man of Caesar age it could easily incite a fulminant heart attack. He injected into Caesar feet, saying that he had not found any good vein in his arm, this would take time to the mix get to his bloodstream, time enough to look like an accident over the night.

He exited the tent and then walked back to his tent. Not being able of sleep that night, anxiety taking over him, just waiting, waiting to be called, and then he was.

A legionary busted into Arcade’s tent, screaming.

‘’Caesar is dying, profligate’’

Arcade felt his heart beat faster, he felt a sadistic pleasure run through him, he knew Caesar was already dead and this knowledge made him smile in the darkness of his tent.

He dressed up and went stray to Caesar tent, where the praetorian guard protected the entry.

Inside the body of Caesar was lying on the ground. He had tried to scream for help and fallen down the bed, there were fluids coming out of your mouth and his body was all rigid, a perfect undignified end.

Lucius was the first one to notice Arcade’s presence in the room. When he looked at Arcade his expression of grieve was replaced by anger.

‘’You, you profligate doctor’’ he walked towards Arcade holding him by his shirt ‘’You killed Caesar, you disobedient slave’’

‘’Stress, age and fulminant, I guess it was heart attack who killed him, not me’’ replayed Arcade.

Lucius frowned, tightening his grip.

‘’You joke? You found amusement into Caesar’s Death? You worm! Weren’t you suppose to look him over the night? Answer me you bastard’’ Lucius expression was brutal towards Arcade, who could not stop himself from looking in Vulpes direction desperate.

‘’Yes…uhm…but Caesar sent me away in the early evening’’

‘’You liar. I will kill you with my bare hands, you piece of shit’’ 

Arcade tried his best to stay stood.

‘’I am not, he said something about writing his will, that he didn’t wanted no one distracting him. If you can’t fucking believe in me look for the goddam piece of paper, for fuck sake’’

‘’Caesar’s will’’ Vulpes voice was finally heard ‘’I will have my Frumentarii look for it, we must know who is our new Caesar, Lucius. I will do it, and you look into Caesar’s burning’’

Lucius looked deep into Arcade’s eyes.

‘’You will allow this…doctor to live after all?’’

Vulpes looked into Arcade cold as always.

‘’He didn’t killed Caesar, stress did, and after all he is the most skilled healer in the camp, even he being cheeky and not knowing his place, he is very valuable to us’’

Lucius didn’t seem convinced, but he released Arcade, changing his gaze to Vulpes.

‘’I will see bout Caesar’s burning’’

They watched Lucius walk out of the tent. Arcade heard Vulpes laugh in a low tone and looked at him disbelieved.

‘’You are such a good liar, Arcade, one day I will make a Frumentarii out of you’’

‘’That was close, by the way Caesar’s will is in his desk, with your name on it…and yeah, you own me a lot, so start thinking about my payment’’

Vulpes looked happily to Arcade.

‘’I own everything to you Arcade, once I am Caesar you shall have everything I own, including myself’’

Arcade gave him a cheeky smile, walking towards him.

‘’Can I have you now?’’

Vulpes enveloped Arcade in his arms, looking at the taller man.

‘’Lucius is suspicious, we must deal with him’’

Arcade thought on the matter for a moment.

‘’I don’t feel like killing him, as you said he’s a glorified secretary, you will need someone to deal with the bureaucracy for you. Once you are crowned Caesar you just send him back east, soon he will forget all of this’’

Vulpes smirked.

‘’Never cease to amaze me how smart you are, Arcade, are you sure you don’t want to stay with me? Be my second man, once you are free?’’ Vulpes slid his hand down Arcade jaw, feeling the bones there.

Arcade hummed feeling his fingers slid down his throat.

‘’Why would I do that? The legion even if improved will was have it past, a cruel and vicious one that I don’t want to be part of’’

Vulpes touched Arcade’s lips.

‘’You, better than anyone, knows what it’s to have a terrible past and changing it, I am sure that with you and Mars by my side I will make the legion what Caesar could never do’’

Arcade smiled lightly against his fingers.

‘’Well you do know how to sweet talk a man, Vulpes Inculta’’ he kissed him, still felling his warm fingers across his face.

The two man kissed without knowing that they were being watched. Lucius observed the two of them through the opening in the tent, grabbing each other just centimeters from Caesar’s dead body. In the morning as the frumentarii revealed that Vulpes was the next Caesar, Lucius understood it all.

In the same day as Caesar was burned, with a coin under each eye and two slave girls to keep him company in the afterlife, Vulpes was crowned with a gold laurel in front of the whole camp.

Arcade could not stop himself from smiling wildly at him, strangely proud. He just looked very handsome with that golden pseudo of a crown that clashed nicely with his short black hair. Arcade notice that with the red cloak he had chosen to wear he did look like a son of Mars, as the legionaries were calling him.

Vulpes, now called Caesar, ordered even the killing of thirty Brahmin in Mars name. What Arcade thought useless, but he would not question the faith of someone, even if it was in a long forgotten god.

In the day of celebration, Arcade hardily had the time to speak to Vulpes, but he did not mind, soon he would leave as a free man and would need to forget all his feelings for the man.

When the night had fallen, Vulpes pulled Arcade to his side on the table, the tabled reserved only for the high rank legionaries. Arcade could fell the eyes on him as Vulpes served him wine.

‘’I wish you to wait me at my tent’’ said him smoothing a hand over Arcade’s thigh, making his face warm.

Arcade drank the wine pretending nothing was happening.

‘’You mean dear dead old Caesar’s tent, don’t you?’’ Arcade laughed at the idea ‘’Are you gonna fuck me at his bed?’’

Vulpes smiled, grabbing onto the muscles of his thigh, dangerously close to his cock.

‘’Yes, the same bed you killed him’’

Lucius watched from the other side of the table the two talking in whisper and giggles. When Arcade rose from his sit, Lucius followed.

The doctor went stray for Caesar’s tent, upon entering he could not miss the modifications Vulpes had done, such as the red flags with golden embroidered foxes that were hanging around the throne room.

When Arcade entered Caesar’s bedroom he found red soft sheets in the bed and candles burning around it. He could not stop himself from smiling when he heard footsteps in the room, still looking at the romantic scene Vulpes had pulled up, he said.

‘’Well, well, who would say you were a romantic. I was hoping for a vicus Julius Caesar and instead I got a young Paris of Troia’’ a laugh as he turned to face the man ‘’So I see this makes me your Helen…’’

It was not Vulpes standing behind him, but yet Lucius.

‘’You degenerate scum’’ he struck Arcade across the face, making him fall back in bed ‘’You sodomite, you killed Caesar, you and that _dictator_ ’’

He closed his hands around Arcade’s throat and slowly squeezed. Arcade felt hypersensitive felling the other man’s height over him, and as the pressure was build up he could only focus on his cold angered blue eyes.

Arcade’ thought of kicking and squirming, but could only struggle to breath.

‘’I will enjoy killing you just like you did when you killed Caesar’’

His eyes were filled with tears and his vision was turning black when he saw a shadow getting behind Lucius and cutting his throat open. The grip in his throat loosed up and he swallowed a long gulp of air, feeling the hot blood splash into his direction painting his white coat, his face, his hair red.

‘’I always knew you were weak, Lucius’’ Vulpes smooth voice echoed into Arcade’s foggy mind ‘’but you never strike me for the dumb type, at least dumb enough to touch a lethal man’s property’’ and like that he stabbed him again in the chest, and again, and again.

Arcade recovered himself, forcing himself to say.

‘’That’s enough, Vulpes, he is dead’’ the man looked up at him, also with Lucius blood all over him ‘’Came here and kiss me’’

Vulpes moved himself to be between Arcade’s legs touching his face with a hand soaked in blood, sliding the other one down his chest. Arcade’s lips tasted of wine and blood, and Vulpes loved it, moving his hip towards the other man, grinding against him, while their tongues slid against each other.

They broke the kiss and Vulpes licked the blood on Arcade’s cheek, making him smile.

‘’You’re sick’’

‘’Yes, but this is the blood of our enemies, we must celebrate’’ he said against Arcade’s throat, scraping his teeth on it, feeling Arcade groan. He licked his path towards Arcade’s ear, biting him lightly there ‘’I want to penetrate you tonight’’

Arcade laughed pleased, sliding his hands down the man’s back.

‘’You can if you want’’ and Vulpes was sliding his lab coat down while kissing behind his ear, making him shiver under his lips.

Arcade kicked off his boots, sliding his hand up Vulpes thighs, underneath his tunic, over his underwear. Vulpes kissed him again, opening his shirt brutally, making some buttons fly off.

‘’Great, Vulpes, my shirt…’’ his voice died out when Vulpes bitten down at the junction of his neck and shoulder, making him groan, feeling his cock react inside his pant.

Pulling of his shirt completely, Vulpes sucked purple marks on his skin, making Arcade lay down, moaning as he sucked on a nipple, soft lips and wet tongue sliding over his chest. The swelling in his pants grew more noticeable and Vulpes slid his thigh over it, making electrical sparks run down Arcade’s spine.

‘’You are beautiful, Arcade’’ he kissed down the chest ‘’Everything about you is just perfect’’ he pulled Arcade’s pant down, kissing his belly button ‘’God like perfect’’

For a moment Vulpes only looked at the bulge in Arcade’s underwear and then up to his green eyes, smiling at him.

‘’You’re a god, Arcade, and I shall worship you as so’’ he pulled the elastic down, making Arcade’s hard cock jump in front of him. Vulpes waste no time taking the head in his mouthing, sucking it.

Arcade slowly fallen down into the mattress, moaning. He tasted the salty taste of Arcade, taking him deep in his throat, groaning around it. Vulpes smoothed his hands down Arcade’s thigh, feeling his muscles, taking his mouth off to lick Arcade’s balls, sucking on off then, hearing the result in Arcade’s suffered breath.

He followed down, licking his hole, feeling the tight ring of muscles against his tongue, felling Arcade wriggle under his hands. He moved away, getting off the side table the ointment the legion uses, soaking his fingers on it.

Impatiently horny Arcade opened more his legs complaining of the abandonment.

‘’Came on already, or soon I will be cold as Lucius over there’’ this made Vulpes laugh.

He circled his entry, feeling Arcade groan at the tease.

‘’Does you profligates have no respect over the dead?’’ provoked while sinking down a finger.

Arcade laughed under a pained moan.

‘’You are fucking-ah me literally over his corpse, not much for respect, uhm?’’

As a replay Vulpes added a second finger, shoving then deep, watching with pleasure Arcade squirm when he accidently rubbed against his prostrate, touching the place again and again, observing Arcade’s dick twitch against his belly. He was close to come, Vulpes could say, so he withdraw his fingers, pulling his tunic off his shoulders.

Arcade set up in the bed, sliding his hands on his perfect build muscles, over his many battle scars, kissing down his bare chest, feeling the warm that emerge from his skin. He licked over Vulpes nipple, making him groan, moving a hand to touch Arcade’s face, caressing him, sliding a thump inside his mouth.

‘’I want you on top of me, I shall worship you, all of you’’ this left Arcade a little confused, but Vulpes wasted no time, taking his underwear off, climbing on the bed.

This Arcade knew his way with and soon climbed on top of Vulpes, sitting over his erection, making him groan. Vulpes hands were back touching his chest, feeling his muscles, his soft parts.

‘’I am ready, I want you now’’ Arcade pulled his hand over Vulpes exploring hand of his chest.

Vulpes hold himself in hand, watching as Arcade sat back on his dick, letting himself sink down open mouthed. He went all the way down to the base, clenching around Vulpes, making then both gasp. Vulpes went back into touching Arcade’s thighs, feeling the smooth hair there. Under his hand he could feel Arcade tremble, adjusting himself to the feeling of being breech open.

Vulpes looked up, admiring the man on top of him. He looked mesmerized at his hair covered in blood, his skin marked golden by the sun, sliding both his hands up Arcade’s chest as he started to move, riding Vulpes.

He pinched one of Arcade’s nipples, making him gasp, his dick sliding against Vulpes abdomen smearing pre cum at every move. He took Arcade’s cock in hand, squeezing it making Arcade let out a painful moan, moving into the hand then down on to his cock. Arcade clenched around Vulpes, making him groan, feeling his arouse build in his low belly, in a growing warm feeling.

‘’Arcade, I am yours, all yours’’ a hand grabbing tightly at his thigh and the other working in his cock ‘’You gave me everything and now let me give something’’

He sat up, kissing Arcade roughly, who held him by shoulders, slowing the peace, using tongue and lips, breath faltering. Vulpes broke the kiss biting Arcade’s bottom lip, drawing blood out, tasting it, Arcade pulled back, closing his eyes and speeding up over Vulpes cock.

‘’You-ah said you were not-uhn going to be sadistic’’ he was completely lost, golden hair fallen in his sweaty forehead, muscles trembling.

Vulpes laughed, feeling his heart warm, an odd feeling to the legionary.

‘’A son of Mars cannot scape his nature’’ he sucked down a purple bruise into Arcade’s collar bone, making him wriggle.

‘’You might think I am a god-ah! But as far as I know I am made of flesh’’ he held both sides of Vulpes face ‘’So don’t damage the goods’’ he kissed Vulpes, speeding up his movements over his cock, sliding his out over the hard muscles of Vulpes abdomen.

Vulpes felt Arcade’s move speed up, feeling his member against his skin, until he stop, and crying out ‘’Ca-aesar-uhm’’ Vulpes felt him cumming against his abdomen, warm jets of sperm all over his skim, a feeling that put on a smile on his face.

He kissed numb Arcade’s neck, scraping his teeth along the skin, still painful stiff inside of him.

‘’Vulpes, uhm’’ he kissed him, feeling exhausted.

Vulpes moved then, so Arcade was on his back with him on top. He started slamming his hips into Arcade, chasing his orgasm, he would not last, Arcade interiors was warm and tight around him, pulling deeper and deeper.

He hugged himself to Arcade, hearing his moans at each trust. Looking his sleepy face, his beautiful face. Thinking to himself ‘Apollo, Apollo and a son of Mars, what a glorious mixture. We can have the world together, Arcade, together we can’ the mental image pushed him into completion, he came, biting down at Arcade’s neck.

‘’Oh-fuck, Vulpes’’ he felt Vulpes lay on top of him, sliding his hand through his thighs, up to the side of his chest, he was heavy and he could fell his cum liking down his thighs, but in that exact moment he could not care the least, he felt his chest full of a burning sensation.

Vulpes felt Arcade’s hands on his hair, caressing him. Legionaries don’t cuddle, neither with slaves neither with other legionaries, but Vulpes could not find himself hating it, he liked being held, being loved. He looked into Arcade’s green eyes, pulling a lock of hair off his sweaty face.

‘’Was that satisfying?’’ Vulpes rolled off of him, laying next to him.

Arcade laughed in a low tone, looking at the man on his side.

‘’Are you kidding? I had done quite a lot over the years, but never being worshiped by a Caesar’’ He rolled to lay his head on Vulpes shoulder, pulling a leg over his ‘’And you also knew how to use your dick pretty well, if is that what are you asking’’

He slid his hand down Vulpes chest, feeling his muscles and some of his own cum over it.

‘’Is that truth that Caesar’s had a harem back in the east? One wife of each tribe? It surely would be funny to see you having a harem of conquered wives’’ laughed Arcade of the face Vulpes made at the comment.

‘’Women make a man weak, a man should lay with then only for reproduction, not for pleasure’’ said almost as if he was reading a text.

Arcade made a mocking sound.

‘’That, my love, is misogynistically gay. And if you’re to forficate your battle plans you should rethink your hate for women, the NCR has quite amount of strong female rangers, women are good for increase the numbers of your armies’’ overthinking Arcade as always.

Vulpes looked at him fondly.

‘’You really think of all, don’t you?’’ he douched Arcade’s jaw with his fingers ‘’I will beg you once again, my Arcade, come to the west with me, be my second man, my advisor…my lover’’ his fingers slid over Arcade’s lips ‘’I offer you everything I own…and my own heart, I love you Arcade…and losing you would be worst then death’’

Arcade thought for a moment, then pulled Vulpes into a soft kiss, felling the warm of his lips, soon breaking way, to look deep into his eyes.

‘’I guess we do a pretty good team, don’t we? I guess…I also am in love with you and would hate to see you leave without me’’ he smiled, touching Vulpes heart and Vulpes hand covered his.

Vulpes smiled

‘’Then it seems I will not need a harem’’ he smiled and Arcade laughed.

‘’I still can’t believe that you can make jokes’’ he pulled him into another much deeper kiss.


End file.
